Effects of Nocturnal Soil Temperatures and Meloidogyne incognita Densities on Cotton Seedling Growth and the Interaction with Thielaviopsis basicola

Controlled studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of soil temperatures typical of field conditions during the first 6 weeks of the growing season in Arkansas and different population densities of Meloidogyne incognita on damage to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) seedlings associated with the interaction between M. incognita and Thielaviopsis basicola. Treatments consisted of varying nocturnal temperatures that approximated the temperatures that occurred during the 2001, 2002, and 2003 growing seasons in southeastern Arkansas. Nocturnal temperatures in the study were as follows: high, the first week at 15°C, followed by 3 weeks at 17°C, 1 week at 21°C, and 1 week at 17°C (approximating the 2002 season); medium, 3 weeks at 15°C and 3 weeks at 19°C (approximating the 2003 season); and low, 1 week at 15°C, 1 week at 13°C, 2 weeks at 17°C, 1 week at 15°C, and 1 week at 17°C (approximating the 2001 season). Pathogen population densities were either 0 or 100 chlamydospores of T. basicola per gram of soil and 0, 2,000, 4,000, or 8,000 eggs of M. incognita per 500 cm 3 of soil. Plant height and fresh top weight increased with an increase in nocturnal temperature across treatments. There were significant reductions in plant growth and development with T. basicola, but not with M. incognita, at these nocturnal temperatures, but decreased plant height and weight were seen where both pathogens were present in comparison with either pathogen alone. Trends of increased disease associated with T. basicola were observed with increasing inoculum rates of M. incognita, indicating that the interaction between T. basicola and M. incognita occurs even at soil temperatures below the minimum temperature reported as necessary for damage from M. incognita.